Semifinals: Simon Hockwin vs Patrick Plösser

Craig Jones

Only two more matches stand between these players and the title of Grand Prix Champion of Hamburg. Simon Hockwin is running a blue-green Quiet Speculation deck. Plösser is playing one of three Green-White decks that surged into the top 8.

Plösser got off to really bad start with a double mulligan. The five cards still allowed him drop a turn two Mongrel. Meanwhile Hockwin was building up a massive graveyard with Careful Studies, Mental Notes and a Quite Speculation. A second Mongrel and Tireless Tribe appeared on Plösser’s side. Hockwin had reached four mana though and started cranking Roar of the Wurm tokens out of his graveyard.

Two Wurms roared in, forcing Plösser to use a Moment's Peace. The third entered play, followed by a Werebear at threshold to provide a solid defensive wall.

Three Wurms roared in and Moment's Peace was duly flashed back from the graveyard. Still no opportunity for Plösser to counter attack as Acorn Harvest spawned a couple of potential chump blockers. Plösser made an Anurid Brushhopper and wearily said go.

The Werebear joined the Wurms next turn, but Plösser had another Moment's Peace to buy more time. That was all it would do and realising this Plösser decided he’d had enough and they moved onto the next game.

Hockwin 1-0 Plösser

Game two and it was Hockwin’s turn to double mulligan. Plösser couldn’t take full advantage, his deck didn’t cough up a threat until turn three when an Anurid Brushhopper bounced onto the board. Meanwhile Hockwin stocked up his graveyard with a Quiet Speculation. A Werebear followed.

Plösser’s killer frog bounded over for a swipe and a Phantom Centaur came out as backup.

Hokwin flashed back a first Roar but was under the cosh somewhat. It knocked the frog out of bounds temporarily but at no real coast as one of the cards was a Rootwalla. A second Phantom Centaur trotted onto the board. Hockwin was forced to leave both Wurms on defence but all they could was knock a counter off each Centaur. A Mongrel added to the pressure.

Another Quiet Speculation from Hockwin put a Moment's Peace in the graveyard to maybe buy a turn if needed. It also put him one card off threshold and able to bring the bear into play as a blocker.

Plösser attacked and the Wurms again handled the dwindling Centaurs. Mongrel blocked Mongrel, Werebear blocked Brushhopper and a Roar was discarded to the Mongrel to leave the blocks looking fairly comfortable for Hockwin. Centaur Garden ensured the Mongrel trade would be uneven. Sure enough Plösser lost his hound, his hand to fade out the Hopper and a counter off each Centaur. All to deal only 3 points of damage with a Rootwalla. Possibly Plösser hadn’t taken the Werebear into account as the attack seemed ill advised.

A Bearscape from Hockwin the next turn and the scales looked to have completely tipped. Now the Roars could crash into the red zone. Glory showed up a little late as Hockwin had both a Moment's Peace and Krosan Reclamation to strip both the incarnation and the Prismatic Strands Plösser needed to stay alive out of the graveyard. The all out attack was harmlessly fogged and Plösser had no answer for the return attack. He held out his hand in concession.